Longshoreman who wanted more pay took anger out on union leader in Tacoma attack

A longshoreman upset about not getting as much pay as he wanted allegedly assaulted a union member on a Tacoma street, according to court records.

Pierce County prosecutors have charged the 51-year-old man with second-degree assault and harassment. He is to be arraigned Nov. 30.

Charging papers give this account:

The victim handles grievances for longshoremen union members and processed one for the defendant, who asked for three days of pay.

The victim was able to get the defendant only one day of pay.

“The defendant was very upset about not getting reimbursement for all of the time and his anger was directed at (the) victim,” prosecutors wrote in court documents.

The longshoreman confronted the victim at the union hall Sept. 13, getting in the victim’s face and yelling. To defuse the situation, the victim suggested they speak outside so the men drove down the road a short way.

After pulling over, the defendant allegedly kicked open the victim’s door, punched him in the head several times and put him in a choke hold.

The victim, who had the use of only one arm because of to a previous injury, suffered bleeding to the brain and had to spend three days in the hospital.

Two people who saw the attack pulled the longshoreman off the victim.

The longshoreman then chased the couple back to their car, threatening them.

This story was originally published November 19, 2018 at 10:55 AM.